


Oddly Familiar

by sanctum_c



Series: Clerith Month 2017 [12]
Category: Final Fantasy VII (Video Game 1997)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Camping, Deja Vu, F/M, Memories
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-09
Updated: 2017-12-09
Packaged: 2021-03-16 16:26:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 805
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28709670
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sanctum_c/pseuds/sanctum_c
Summary: Aeris and Cloud stop in a copse out in the wilderness. But something about the area is strangely familiar.
Relationships: Aerith Gainsborough/Cloud Strife
Series: Clerith Month 2017 [12]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2009509





	Oddly Familiar

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the prompt 'This is Where We First Met'

Cloud and Aeris had been walking all day with no specific destination in mind, they were content to wander and see where they wound up. Somehow they found themselves retracing an old journey, but on this repeat of the past there was less of a need to catch up to an elusive quarry who remained forever ahead of them. They stopped wherever they needed to - the clump of trees seemed perfect. There was still some time before night-fall; the sun not even touching the horizon yet, but it would be best to set up camp before the night grew cold. That or blunder around in the dark. Cloud's enhanced vision would help, but there remained the risk of increased monster attacks under the cover of darkness. “Something about this place feels familiar,” Cloud said as he shrugged the backpack from his shoulders.

Now he mentioned it, the trees were somehow familiar. Had that influenced their reason to stay here? That there was something more than the simple logic to utilising the cluster of trees as a screen and not setting up camp right out in the open, making themselves a target for anything or anyone in the vicinity? “You might be right,” Aeris dropped her backpack and flopped onto the ground beside him. A wide area in the middle of the copse. Not even close to dense enough to entirely hide them from the outside, but enough of a barrier to feel safer now they were behind it. A strange sense there; that she should know and recognise this place. But why? “When was the last time we came this way?”

Cloud frowned. “A while back. But I don't think we camped here.”

“No,” Aeris agreed. But they must have come into the circle of trees for good reason. Had they stopped by this place on some walk from Junon? No. Something else. The answer was there on the edge of her memory and almost within her grasp. Junon. It had something to do with Junon - somehow. “Maybe the first time we went to Junon?” she said. Perhaps saying it out loud would jar the memory loose. Something about Junon and their arrival in the city. Aeris frowned at the grass around her. It did not seem to help her recall.

“Junon, Junon,” Cloud murmured. “It was something related to that.” He nodded to himself.

“Not Fort Condor?” Aeris asked and shook her head. The name did not resonate in memory the same way the city's did. She cast around but the towering structure was not visible from here. Even now in the post-Mako world, the inhabitants of the fort kept to themselves and remained wary of outsiders. No. Junon should be the focus. If her bearings were correct, it should be right over there.

Despite the thinness of the treeline, it was entirely possible to forget that the second largest city on the Planet would normally be visible at this distance, a place where traces of mako still clung to bricks and fabric despite the passage of many years. The proximity was a small comfort despite their decision to camp; while they were both experienced with surviving outdoors and fending off monster attacks, should anything go wrong, should some emergency arise that not resolvable by first aid or curative materia, at least it was not far to someone and somewhere who could provide shelter and medical supplies. Fort Condor for absolute emergencies; Junon for anything else.

Cloud turned in a slow circle. “I think we came here the first time you left Midgar. And then-“

“Oh!” Aeris sat up and grinned, the memory sparking. “I’ve got it." She leapt to her feet, bounced around and mimicked the actions of a dear friend. "'You spiky-haired jerk! One more time!'" Cloud stared at her blankly and Aeris sagged. "Guess I need to work on my impersonations." He still looked blank. "So. This clearing is the place where we first met a certain ninja...”

“Ah.” Cloud’s expression brightened and then swiftly darkened. He turned to appraise the clearing on the basis of the new information. “So this was where Yuffie first mugged me.”

Aeris chuckled. “Yep. At least she’s not here this time.” She glanced over her shoulder and back to him. "Or is she?" she intoned in a portentous voice. Cloud seemed to take her question to heart a little too well and surveyed the treeline with suspicion. He seemed less than keen on a similar repeat encounter with Yuffie. Aeris grinned to herself and hauled the rolled up tent out of the bag; as if their friend would try such a thing. Well, admittedly it was not wholly far-fetched. But unlikely; Yuffie had better things to do than mug the unwary these days. “Come on; we should get the tent up before it gets dark…”


End file.
